Furnace-grate



(No Model.)

Z. F. BRYANT.

FURNACE GRATE.

No. 450,351. Patented Apr. 14,1891.

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ZENAS F. BRYANT, OF MALDEN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ALBERT H. OUSHING, OF BROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS.

FU RNACE-G RATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 450,351, dated April 14, 1891.

Application filed July 19,1888. Serial No. 280,395. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ZENAs' F. BRYANT, a citizen of' the United States, residing at Malden, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Furnace-Gratos, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention has special reference to improvements in grates of that class .in which several grate-bars are reciprocated horizontally and adjacent bars in opposite directions for the purpose of sifting out ashes and cinders, the leading object being to make such provision that there may be caused motion of all parts of the grate in said plane and substantially throughout the entire area of said plane within the fire-box.

My invention consists in movable end plates or headers and in grate-bars constructed and adapted for the purposes above named and in certain other improvements, as hereinafter set forth, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 shows a plan of a furnace-grate embodying my invention, in which six grate-bars are to be employed, only two of which are shown in this figure. Fig. 2 is aside elevation, a part being in section, on the lines 2 2 in Fig. 1. Fig. 8 is an end elevation, a part being in section, on the lines 3 3 in Fig. l.

In all the gures so much of the walls of the fire-box is indicated by dotted lines a as appears desirable to fully understand the nature and purpose of certain parts of the invention.

The trusssuppor-ts or hangers A, two being sufficient, are formed substantially as shown, and may rest at their ends on transverse pieces B, (shown only in Figs. 2 and 3,) fixed in the furnace-walls. Each of these truss-supports is formed near its ends to provide sockets b. The end plates or headers C are supported by the truss-supports, having flanges or projections c, which enter the sockets b. The flanges or projections c do not fill the sockets l); but these flanges and sockets are of such relative form and construction, as shown, that the end plates or headers may have a slight rocking motion-that is, a reciprocating movement in a direction transverse to theirlength-and cannot tip orincline so far as to be displaced from their proper position on the truss-supports. Cleats or ribs d on the end plates or headers-one at each side of the upturned part of the truss-supports-will prevent the latter from inclining from their true position.

Each of the end plates or headers hasv projections e on its outer edge face, so as to provide openings near the wall of the fire-box suitable for sifting purposes. There are projections or fingers f on theinner edge face of the end plates or headers.

Each of the grate-bars is supported by arms g, fixed on two rods D and E. These rods bear on the truss-supports A. The surfaces of these rods which come in contact with the truss-supports are curved, so that the rods will roll on the supports. The surfaces of the arms g adjacent to the grate-bars are curved, so as to roll against the grate-bars or against longitudinal ribs h, formed on the under side of the grate-bars. Lips fi on the rods D and E and lugs j on the truss-supports will ,insure against the rods sliding out of place on the supports. Lips kon the arms g, which enter recesses l, formed by ribs m at the sides of the bars, will prevent the bars from sliding sidewise on these arms.

In the grate' represented are employed six narrow grate-bars, these narrow bars being generally preferred to wide bars for obvious reasons. The bars being narrow, itis very desirable, if not necessary, that each bar have but one longitudinal rib h, and therefore bear on only one arrn g on each of two rods D and E. Being thus supported, the grate-bars would be apt to tip over or incline sidewise. Iforrn projections or fingers o on the ends of ,the grate-bars, which enter between the fingers f on the end plates or headers. The fingers f and fingers 0 have their ends tapered or curved and are of such relative width that the former will readily enter between the latter, and also that the grate bars will be prevented by means of these fingers from inclining and will be kept in true Working position.

All the inner grate-bars, one F of which is shown in Figs. l and 2, are substantially alike. They have projections p on their side faces ofthe same length. Each of the two outer bars, one G of which is shown in Figs. I and 3, has projections q on the inner side face of the same length as those on the bars F; but the projections o' on the outer side face are considerably longer, so that the spaces near the adjacent walls of the fire-box are occu pied by the moving grate-bars, as shown. Two rods D and E are rocked by means of the removable hand-lever H, connected with one rod, and a connecting-rod I, pivoted at s to an arm' extending downward from a rod D and at t to an arm extending upward from a rod E. The other two rods D and E will be rocked by means of the grate-bars.

I consider it very desirable that the upper surface of the Whole grate, including all of the above-specified projections and fingers, be in one and the same plane. In operation the grate-bars will be reciprocated, moving horizontally endwise, any two adjacent bars moving in opposite directions. Owing to the appropriate curvature of the bearing-surfaces of the rods D and E and of the bearing-surfaces of the arms g, the upper surface of the moving grate-bars will remain in the same plane. Action of the grate-bars will cause a slight rocking movement of the end plates or headers as the result of friction between them and the coal, ashes, &c. Thus the whole surface of the grate extending through substantially ,the whole area of the fire box may be caused to move, and hence,the openings in the grate being of suitable size, the sifting will be thoroughly accomplished.

In the drawings the position of each of the headers is such that their upper surfaces are horizontal. In practice such may be the position of either header when at rest, if so held by the grate-bars, coal, dsc.; but if the header is perfectly free it will incline by gravity. This inclination will be slight, since each socket b is but very little wider than t-he projections or anges c, and the sockets and flanges are sufliciently deep with respect to thedifference of Width of the sockets and projections or flanges therein.

By my invention the common rigidly-fixed end plates are dispensed with. Instead of the ordinary end plates which cover the ends of the grate-bars, the end plates or headers of my invention are such that their whole upper surface may be in the same plane with that of the grate-bars. Furthermore, the arrangement of the projections or fingers on the headers with reference to those on the ends of the grate-bars makes possible the use of very narrow grate-bars, since, though the grate-bars have each but one place transversely of bearing on their moving supports, they are prevented from inclining from their upright or true position. By making the projections on the outer side face of the outer grate-bars longer than the projections on the inner face provision is economically made by which the full width of the fire-box maybe occupied by moving parts. These projections may thus extend as near to the walls of the fire-box as the ends of the end plates or headers, as shown by the drawings, While the outer gratebars bear the same relation to the adjacent grate-bars as any two of the inner grate-bars do to each other.

It should be understood that in practice furnace-grates must be adapted to t dierent sizes of hre-boxes. It is also desirable that the grate-bars of a grate be as nearly as possible of the same size and pattern.

It has been the custom to fill out spaces at the sides of the tire-box not occupied by movable grate-bars by using fixed bars called dead-bars. I am able to dispense with these dead-bars, and that, too, in a very economical manner.

In casting the grate-bars one pattern, which may be used for all the grate-bars, has the projections at. one side lengthened temporarily for the two outer bars. The alteration is simple, necessitates the least possible expense, and is a change which may be readily understood by the workmen.

It is very important that as much as possible of the surface of the grate move While sifting is being done. If there are any stationary parts, ashes and cinders will remain thereon, and if such parts are near the walls of the tire-box clinkers will form on these Walls. Thereby not only will the draft be diminished; but these parts will be destroyed bythe heat. The dead-bars referred to above are especially detrimental in this respect, since they are placed near the walls of the fire-box.

I claim as my inventionl. In a furnace-grate, the combination of truss-supports or hangers provided with sockets, an end plate or header supported by said truss, supports or hangers being provided with projections or flanges which are held loosely in said sockets, so that the end plate or header may rock, and several grate-bars supported by said truss-supports or hangers and adapted to reciprocate adjacent bars moving in opposite directions, substantially as set forth.

2. In a furnace-grate, the combination of truss-supports or hangers supporting the grate-bars and provided with sockets near their ends, and an end plate or header provided with anges or projections to enter said sockets loosely, whereby the end plate or header will be held in position and may rock, having a motion in a direct-ion transverse to itself, substantially as set forth.

In a furnace-grate, the combination of IOO IIO

several grate-bars reciproeated endwise and grate-bars, substantially as and for the purprovided with projections or fingers o, a-djaposes specified. cent bars moving in Opposite directions, with ZENAS F. BRYANT. end plates or headers loosely supported by 5 trusssupports or hangers, whereby they may Witnesses:

rock, and provided with end projections or ALBERT H. CUSHING,

fingers f, which enter between those on the l EDW. DUMMER. 

